Cattle-guard



No. 626,598. Patented June 6, I899.

.1; w. noun.

CATTLE GUARD.

(Application filed Jan. 7, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet l.

wa y 4 fizwzazw r No. 626,598. h Patented June 6, I899. J. W. DUDD. CATTLE GUARD.

(Application filed Jan. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.7

(No Model.)

-Nrrn STATES PATENT l FFICE.

J OIIN IV. DODD, OF MARTIN SBURG, WVEST VIRGINIA.

CATTLE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,598, dated June 6, 1899 Application filed January 7, l 89 9.

T (0Z5 whom at party concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. DODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsburg, in the county of Berkeley and State of "West Virginia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Cattle-Guards for Railway- Crossings, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the cattle-guard for railways described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 596,962, granted January 4, 1898, to myself and S. S. Smallwood.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of means automatically operated by the movement of the gates to prevent stock from butting or pushing against the gates after they have been closed and also tending to cause the stock to leave the platform.

A further object of the invention relates to the provision of means operating in the depression of the platform to temporarily lock the gates in position when closed.

A further object of the invention relates to the provision of improved bumper mechanism. I

Still further objects of the invention have relation to certain details of construction, all of which will more clearly hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the gate in a closed position. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view of an improved form of bumper for receiving the impact of the gates when closing. Fig. 6 represents sectional views of the same, taken at right angles to each other; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modification.

The numeral 1 indicates the rails, and 2 the cross-ties, of an ordinary track. At the desired location I secure in one of the crossties, between and at the sides of the rails, staples or similar devices 3, which form journal-bearings for the rods 4 5, extending through the rear ends of the bars 67. of the platforms 8 9. In order to support the rear ends of these bars, I interpose between them and the cross-tie on which the platforms are Serial No. 701,506. (No model.)

pivoted a small metal rod 10, the rods 4 5 being sufficiently loose in their bearings to permit of this rod acting as a pivotal support in the depression of the platform. I thus avoid all danger of the rods 4 5 being bent by undue weight on the platforms. The bars of the platform may also be braced in their central portion, if necessary, bya transverse iron strap 11, which extends beneath the bars and to which they are secured and which is provided with bends 12 for the rails 1. At a point beneath the front end of the platform I secure to the rails the clamp-pieces 13, formed in two parts, each part having an upper end 14, bent to conform to the lower flange of the rail, and a downward-extending portion 15, the extensions being suitably apertured to receive screw-bolts 16. The device 13 is thus held clamped to the rail and no holes have to be drilled through the latter. The downward-extending portions 15 are also provided with openings which form journal-bearings for a rock-shaft 17. Suitable collars 18 are applied to the rock-shaft to prevent lateral movement of the shaft in its bearings. Secured to the said rock-shaft and extending backward therefrom at a slight incline are crank-arms 19, and pivot-links 20 pivotally connect rods 21 22, exending through the front ends of the bars 6 7, with said crank-arms.

A cross-tie somewhat longer than the ones in ordinary use is provided at the front of the platform, and on this are supported and suitably braced uprights 23 24, on the inner faces of which are supported in suitable bearings the gates 25 26, which are adapted to swing laterally.

Secured to the rock-shaft 17, near its outer ends, are upright lever-arms 27 28, which are pivotally connected by means of links 29 30 with the gates 25 26. On the cross-tie supporting the uprights and midway between the rails is located my improved bumper mechanism. This comprises two short cylindrical posts 31 32, which are provided on their inner sides with longitudinal slots 33 and in their upper outer sides with open slots 34. The numerals 35 36 indicate two cylindrical sleeves, which are adapted to fit over the posts 31 32 and which have secured within them the plungers 37 38, which enter the posts 31 I ties.

The parts described are operatively connected by means of a bolt 39, screw-threaded at each end, which when the sleeves 35 36 have been placed over the posts 31 32 has its opposite ends passed through said sleeves and the slots 33 and screwed into the pl ungers 37 38, this connection of course being effected before the posts 31 and 32 are secured to the crosstions 41, engaging in the plungers 37 38, said' plugs being received in the slots 34 of the posts 31 32 when the parts are assembled.

Screwed on each plug 40 is a thimble 42, each of which carries in its outer end a rubber block 43, against which the gates strike when closed. A lever-arm 44, pivotally supported in its central portion in bearings 45, has one end'bifurcated to receive the bolt 39 and its other end extended beneath the platform 9, by which it is adapted to be depressed through the medium of a screw-eye or similar device 46, secured in one of the bars 6 and having its eye pivotally secured in the end ofsaid leverarm.

Secured to one of the cross-ties is a leafspring 47, which extends upward and outward, and at its free end bears against the under side of the rod 21. In addition to or in place of the spring 47 I may employ a pivoted weighted arm 48 of the well-known construction. 1

Secured at one end to the rock-shaft 17 are ends bent to form catches 51. These arms are adapted-to be raised by the rock-shaft 17 when the latter is turned by the depression of 'the platformto close the gates, andin this position the catches 51 will engage lugs 52, one of 'Whichis carried by each gate, and thus prevent the gates or either of them from being pushed open.

The mechanism for preventing stock from pushing against the gates comprises the following parts: J ournaledonthe upper bar of each gate is a rock-shaft 53, having a bent arm or crank 54. Extending downward from said shaft 53 are a number of bars 55, which are connected at their lower ends to a rod 56, projecting from which are a number of spikes 57. Securedon the upper end of each upright I 23 24 is an arm 58, and a link or links 59 connect said arms with the cranks 54. By inspecting Figs. 1 and 3it will be apparent that as the gates are closed by the depression of the platform the rock-shafts 53 will be caused to turn by means of the link connection between-the cranks 54 and the stationary arms 58, and the bars 55, carrying the spiked rod 56, will be caused to assume the position shown inFig. 3. Said spiked rod will prevent any reason of the spikes no pressure can be ex- The bolt 39 will therefore slide up-anderted by the stock against said rods sufficient to open the'gates. Furthermore any contact of stock with the spikes will cause them pain and tend to induce them to leave the platform. By releasing the links 59 from engagement with the arms 58 the bars 55 may be allowed to fall and rest against the gate.

In lieu of the bumper mechanism shown in Fig. 5 I may employ a construction such as shown in Fig. 7. In this arrangement each gate is provided at its rear end witha bracketarm, 60, which when the gates are closed will come in contact with a rubber or spring bumper 61, secured on each upright 23 24.

' In order to prevent the accidental closing of the gates by the action of the wind, I rigidly secure to each side platform 8, toward the front end thereof, a bar 62, which said bars project outward from the platforms, as shown, and at their outer ends each bar is provided with a right-angular extension, affording a stop 63, which normally projects upwardin the plane of movement of the bottom of the gate, as shown in Fig. 2, so that unless the platform is depressed any inward movement of the gates will be prevented by the contact of their lower rails with the stops 63. ordinarily in the opening movement of the IVhile gates they will swing past the stops 63 before the latter have risen high enough to oppose their movement, I nevertheless provide against stopping the gates in case the stops should rise high enough to come in contact with them by inclining the upper side of each of said stops, so that should the gates strike these stops they would ride up the incline thereon and pass over them. spring-arms 49 50, which have their outer In Fig. 4 I' have shown means frictionally engaging the gates for holding them stationfaryin the open position. indicate, respectively, two stops secured near opposite ends of a cross-tie to limit the outward movement of the gates. figure Ihave shown one of these stops as having a roller 66 journaled therein, which projects slightly above the lower rail of the gate,

The numerals In the above so that the gate in opening will ride up on and partly over this roller and be held in the space between said roller and the side of the stop, as shown in the figure referred to. 65 will of course be provided with a roller 66.

Both stops The general operation of the apparatus being the same as that described in the patent above namedneed not be stated herein.

WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In acattle-guard, the combination with laterally-swinging gates and means for opershaft and thereby elevate said bars, substantially as described. near approach of stock to the gates, and by 2. In a cattle-guard the combination with and means for operating said gates, of a rockshaft journaled on the upper end of each gate, a series of bars connected to said rock-shaft and carrying at their outer ends spikes, a crank-arm on each rock-shaft an arm on each upright, and links connecting said arms and crankarms, whereby in the closing of the gates said rock-shafts will be turned to elevate said bars, substantially as described.

3. In a cattle-guard, the combination with a depressible platform, of a rock-shaft jour naled beneath said platform and adapted to be rocked thereby, laterally-swinging gates suitably supported in proximity to said rockshaft and operatively connected thereto, and spring-arms carried by said rock-shaft and adapted to be turned thereby, in the closing of the gates, to engage the said gates and hold them in a closed position, substantially as described.

4. In a cattleguard, the combination with a depressible platform, laterally-swinging gates, and the gate-operating mechanism actuated by said platform, of bumper mechanism for receiving the impact of the gates when closing, comprising two stationary cylindrical posts having slots on their inner faces, two sleeves adapted to slide over said posts and having plungers entering'the same, thimbles secured on said sleeves and carrying at their outer ends bumper-blocks, a bolt passed at opposite ends through said sleeves and the slots in said post and having its ends screwed into said plungers, and a lever pivoted beneath said platform and having one end bifurcated and engaging said bolt and its opposite end connected with said platform, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN XV. DODD.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. W. REA, GEO. E. SULLIVAN. 

